NMAT has a total of 108 questions with equal weightage across three sections. Candidates need to answer all questions within 120 minutes. Preparation based on the NMAT syllabus weightage will help candidates obtain a good score. Scroll down for NMAT important topics and weightage.
NMAT Syllabus Weightage and Important Topics
NMAT Syllabus Weightage and Important Topics: The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) conducts NMAT exam for admission to MBA courses. NMAT is an adaptive exam with difficulty level varying based on the candidate's previous answer. The NMAT exam has three sections, namely Language Skills, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Skills. Candidates preparing using the NMAT syllabus weightage and exam pattern usually obtain a higher score. Check details on the NMAT syllabus weightage and important topics below.
- NMAT Sectional Overview
- NMAT Language Skills Syllabus Weightage
- NMAT Logical Reasoning Syllabus Weightage
- NMAT Quantitative Skills Syllabus Weightage
NMAT Sectional Overview
The table below outlines NMAT questions and time limits across all three sections:
| Section Name |
Total Questions |
Time Allotted |
|---|---|---|
| Language Skills (Verbal Ability) |
36 |
28 Minutes |
| Logical Reasoning |
36 |
40 Minutes |
| Quantitative Skills & DI |
36 |
52 Minutes |
Commonly asked questions
Based on feedback from test takers, NMAT exam is moderate to tough in terms of difficulty standards. Compared top other exams like XAT, and CAT, NMAT is on an easier side. NMAT difficulty is considered similar to SNAP exam.
The NMAT exam is considered to have a moderate to tough difficulty level. However, compared to exams like CAT and XAT, NMAT is on the easier side. Its difficulty standard is generally considered similar to the SNAP exam
Completing NMAT syllabus varies across candidates. Different candidates may have different strengths and weaknesses. Some candidates may need only a week or two. Whereas some might need months.
All sections of NMAT exam hold equal importance as the weighatge in terms of number of questions, and marks are similar across sections. Therefore, no particular section out of three sections hold additional importance. Candidates must prepare for all three sections based on the NMAT syllabus. However, candidates must work on theIr speed as the NMAT exam will have sectional weightage. Although all three sections have equal number of questions, each section has an unidentical time limit to answer these questions.
NMAT Language Skills Syllabus Weightage
The Language Skills section requires solving 36 questions in 28 minutes. Therefore, candidates need a high reading speed to attempt all questions within time.
| Topic |
Expected Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension |
8 to 12 Questions |
| Para Forming (Parajumbles) |
4 to 5 Questions |
| Grammar (Error Identification) |
3 to 4 Questions |
| Grammar (Prepositions) |
4 to 5 Questions |
| Grammar (Sentence Correction) |
4 to 5 Questions |
| Vocabulary / Analogy |
4 to 5 Questions |
-
Reading Comprehension (RC): Candidates can expect either two or three RC passages. If the exam presents two passages, they will likely be longer (around 400 to 600 words) and contain four questions each, totaling eight questions. If there are three passages, there will be a total of 12 questions. Candidates must scroll through the entire passage on the screen; attempting to move to the next question without scrolling will generate a warning prompt.
-
Para Forming (Parajumbles): This category typically has four to five questions. Unlike other exams, NMAT provides five options rather than using Type-In-The-Answer (TITA) formats.
-
Grammar: The grammar portion is divided into three distinct question types: Error Identification, Prepositions, and Sentence Correction. Cumulatively, grammar concepts account for a significant portion of the section, making foundational English grammar essential.
-
Analogy and Vocabulary: Analogy questions appear frequently, averaging four to five per exam. These depend on vocabulary, specifically synonyms and antonyms.
NMAT Logical Reasoning Syllabus Weightage
The Logical Reasoning section has 36 questions and a 40-minute limit. It is unique for its heavy emphasis on verbal reasoning. Find the topic wise weightge in NMAT Logical Reasoning section below:
| Topic |
Expected Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Critical Reasoning |
15 to 18 Questions |
| Input-Output |
4 to 5 Questions |
| Puzzles & Seating Arrangements |
4 to 10 Questions |
| Basic Logical Reasoning |
4 to 5 Questions |
Commonly asked questions
The NMAT logical reasoning syllabus covers a mix of analytical and critical thinking topics. Candidates must prepare for the following topics:
- Coding and Decoding
- Puzzles
- Series
- Arrangement
- Multi-dimensional arrangements
- Family Tree
In addition to the above topcis, questions from Numeric Grid, Syllogisms, Statement Conclusions, Course of Action, Critical Reasoning, Calendars, Strong and Weak Arguments, and Blood Relations are also included. All the topics under the NMAT logical reasoning syllabus will assess logical decision-making and reasoning ability of the test taker.
Yes, candidates can efficiently prepare using the books recommended for CAT exam preparation or any other MBA entrance exam. The syllabus for these entrance exams is mostly similar, covering Language Skills, Logical Reasoning, and Quantitative Skills.
Yes, candidates can prepare for NMAY exam in one month by planning a focused approach. Practice the free NMAT question paper, analyse your weak areas, and divide your time to cover one section per week, leaving the final week for revision
Yes, candidates must refer to at least two books for each section while preparing for the NMAT exam. It is highly recommended to use the official GMAC guide along with other standard competitive exam preparation books.
-
Critical Reasoning (CR): This is the most crucial module in the Logical Reasoning section, constituting approximately 50% of the entire section (around 15 to 18 questions). Candidates cannot expect to clear the sectional cutoff without studying CR. The questions focus on strengthening the argument, weakening the argument, identifying implicit and explicit statements, inferences, conclusions, statement-assumptions, and cause-and-effect.
-
Input-Output: This topic is specific to NMAT syllabus and appears annually. Candidates typically find one set of four to five questions.
-
Puzzles and Arrangements: From this topic, the exam has questions on linear arrangements, circular arrangements, and distribution puzzles. These typically account for four to ten questions depending on the number of sets presented.
-
Basic Logical Reasoning: The remaining questions are distributed among miscellaneous topics such as Venn diagrams, syllogisms, number/letter series, blood relations, direction sense, coding-decoding, mathematical operations, cubes, and calendars.
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NMAT Quantitative Skills Syllabus Weightage
Quantitative Skills has 36 questions to be answered within 52 minutes. Candidates will not get any on screen calculator, therefore, they must rely on mental maths. Topic distribution can vary due to the adaptive format.
| Topic |
Expected Number of Questions |
|---|---|
| Data Interpretation (DI) |
12 to 16 Questions |
| Data Sufficiency (DS) |
3 to 5 Questions |
| Arithmetic |
9 to 10 Questions |
| Algebra |
5 to 6 Questions |
| Modern Math (P&C, Probability) |
3 to 5 Questions |
| Number System |
1 to 3 Questions |
-
Data Interpretation (DI): DI is a major part of the section, with 12 to 16 calculation-intensive questions. As options are often close, exact calculation is required. Common question types include tables, caselets, and charts.
-
Data Sufficiency (DS): Candidates find around three to five questions primarily from the arithmetic concepts.
-
Arithmetic: Arithmetic dominates the section with 9 to 10 questions. Important topics from Arithmetic in NMAT exam include percentages, interest, profit and loss, and ratios.
-
Algebra: Candidates find around five to six questions. Important topics include progressions, equations, logarithms, and functions.
-
Modern Maths: Important topics from Modern Maths include Permutation & Combination and Probability with three to five questions.
-
Number System: Candidates can expect up to three questions from remainders, HCF, and LCM.
Candidates must utilise sample question papers and mock tests to build their reading speed and manual calculation speed. NMAT mocks also help candidates in understanding the adaptive exam interface.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered a week ago
No, you cannot join Jindal Global Business School without an entrance exam if you want admission to the MBA course. For admission to the management courses, the institute accepts various national-level exams, like
- CAT
- MAT
- ATMA
- GMAT
- NMAT
- XAT
- CMAT
Students who attain qualifying percentiles for these exams are
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
No, you cannot join UPES Dehradun for its MBA programme without appearing for the accepted entrance examination. To gain admission to this institute, students would need to take one of the following exams after they clear the basic eligibility rules.
- NMAT, XAT and MAT
Students who attempt the previou
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
| Parameter | Your Score | Impact |
| CAT | 72.33%ile | Tier-2/3 Eligibility |
| NMAT | 187 | Target non-Mumbai NMIMS campuses |
| 10th/12th | 72.6% / 65.4% | Average; may limit "Old IIMs" even if scores were higher |
| BE | 77.6% | Strong Point helps in engineering-preferred pools |
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
Candidates need to score 160 or above in NMAT in order to apply for Jain University MBA admissions. If the candidates scores the aforementioned marks, they get to skip JET and proceed to the essay writing and personal interview round. However, candidates who scored below the aforementioned limit nee
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, NMAT is not mandatory for admission to the MBA+PGPM programme at Amity Global Business School (AGBS), Ahmedabad. While NMAT scores are accepted, the school offers multiple pathways for admission, and the exam is not the sole requirement.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
Yes, students have to apply separately for NMIMS MBA admission after NMAT results are out. Students must go to the NMIMS website and register online. To submit the form, candidates have to provide documents and application fees.
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 months ago
The maximum scaled score a candidate can achieve in the NMAT exam is 360 marks. Since there are 108 questions and each correct answer carries three marks, the total score ranges between 36 and 360.
V
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
The NMAT exam consists of three distinct sections. These sections are Language Skills, Quantitative Skills, and Logical Reasoning. Each of these three sections has equal weightage and contains exactly 36 questions for candidates to solve.
D
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
In the NMAT exam marking scheme, candidates are awarded three marks for each correct objective-type question. There is no negative marking for incorrect attempts, but zero marks are deducted for any unattempted questions during the online test.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 months ago
The total duration of the NMAT exam is 120 minutes. NMAY has a sectional time limit with 28 minutes for Language Skills, 40 minutes for Logical Reasoning, and 52 minutes for the Quantitative Skills section.
R
Contributor-Level 7
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